Marble catapult and game board construction



Jan. 24, 1967 F. T..COFFEY, SR 3,300,215

MARBLE CATAPULT AND GAME BOARD CONSTRUCTION Filed 001;. 24, 1965 FIG. I

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jll gamam llllflllllillfl a III za 40 INVENTOR.

45 FRANCIS I COFFEY, SR.

Jan. 24, 1967 F. 'r. COFFEY, SR I 3,300,215

MARBLE CATAPULT AND GAME BOARD CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1 FRANCIS T. COFFEY, SR.

Patented Jan. 24, 1967 3,309,215 MARBLE CATAPULT AND GAME BOARD CUNSTRUCTION Francis '1. Coifey, Sr., 3809 S. Hill St., Los Angeles Calif. 90037 Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,460 14 Claims. (Cl. 273-101) This invention relates to an amusement device and is more particularly concerned with a novel marble catapult and game board construction for use in connection therewith.

The prior art has provided many marble throwing devices or engines and has related or associated these devices with novel game board constructions, and the like, to establish various games. These games have acquired the generic name pinball and the marble propelling devices that are employed consist of spring-loaded, longitudinally shiftable pins.

In operation of the ordinary pin type marble propeller, the marble, or ball, is placed at or adjacent one end of the pin, the other end of the pin being engaged by the fingers of the operator and shifted axially rearwardly against the resistance of a spring related thereto. The pin is next released and is urged axially forwardly by the spring in such a manner as to move the ball or marble in the direction of travel of the pin. Many variations of propelling devices for use in marble games have been provided, but each one has involved an axially shiftable pin and/ or a spring, which spring provides the motive froce to put the ball or marble in motion.

While spring-loaded or spring-actuated devices of the character referred to are effective to put a marble in motion, they afford little control by the operator, due to the fact that the strength and the memory of the springs employed are subject to many variables. For instance, temperature variations and the extent to which such springs are compressed or flexed can change their memory or action. Also, the length of time which such springs are compressed or flexed, before releasing them, often materially affects their action.

Still further, spring-loaded or spring-actuated marble driving or casting devices are such that the operator, to control the force at which the marble is to be moved, must concentrate all his senses upon the spring per se, and can in no way feel and directly control the marble.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel marble catapult or machine for throwing marbles or the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a marble catapult of the character referred to which is trigger operated and is provided with a hand grip to facilitate engaging and operating the trigger and to facilitate moving and directing the device, as circumstances require, and as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a catapult of the character referred to wherein the speed and force at which the marble or ball is catapulted is directly related and is proportional to the speed of movement and the force exerted onto and through the trigger by the finger of the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a marble catapult of the character referred to that can be advantageously employed by children in playing the game of marbles on the floor or ground, or such that it can be used in combination with conventional and/ or novel game board constructions.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a catapult of the character referred to in combination with a novel game board construction providing a plurality of targets, and the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide a game apparatus including an elongate base, a substantially vertically disposed board at one end of the base having target openings therein, a marble catapult as provided by the present invention mounted at the other end of the base, and novel means for retaining marbles projected or catapulted into the openings.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my new catapult, showing it related to my new game board;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of my new catapult;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing certain parts of my new catapult in an actuated position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 55 on FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the game board that I provide, taken as indicated by line 66 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view taken as indicated by line 7-7 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view taken as indicated by line 8--8 011 FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1; with board 70 inclined forwardly;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 10-10 on FIG. 9.

The catapult A that I provide includes, generally, a body 10, a bell crank 11 pivotally supported in the body and having a casting arm 12 with a ball engaging saddle 13 at its outer end, and a lever arm 14, a trigger 15 pivotally carried by the body and engaging the lever arm of the bell crank, a return spring 16 normally yieldingly urging the trigger to its unactuated position, and a resilient keeper means C to normally yieldingly hold a ball or marble B in engagement in the body and with the saddle 13.

The body It is a simple, shell-like structure molded of a suitable plastic material, and is shown as including a main or central portion 20 having flat laterally spaced side walls 21, a top wall 22, front Wall 23 and a bottom wall 24. Projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the main portion of the body is a rear hand grip portion 20, which portion has laterally spaced side walls 21' which are simple continuations of the side walls 21 of the main or central portion of the body and an edge wall 25 about and extending between the pen'rneters of the said side walls 21 and joining the top and bottom walls 22 and 24 of the main portion.

Depending from the lower forward portion of the main or central portion of the body is a substantially cylindrical, horizontally disposed, forwardly opening ball receiving chamber 26. The chamber 26 is defined by cylindrical extensions 27 of the side walls 21 and is closed at its rear end by a flat rear wall 28, which wall joins the bottom wall 24.

The side walls 21 of the main portion of the body are provided with aligned openings in their lower rear portions, which openings cooperate to define a trigger and finger-receiving opening 29, which opening extends laterally through the body.

In practice, a supporting wall 30 extends between the side walls 21 about a portion of the opening 29 and serves to reinforce the body construction.

The entire body may be established of two molded plastic shells, each establishing one-half of the body, suitably pinned and/or bonded together in accordance with conventional plastic manufacturing techniques.

The bell crank 11, which crank includes or establishes the caster arm 12 and lever arm 14, is a unitary molded plastic part, is arranged between the side walls of the body at the forward position thereof, and is pivotally supported on a suitable pivot pin 31 carried by the body.

The pin 31 is a simple cylindrical metal part suitably press-fitted or bonded into suitable registering cylindrical bosses provided on the upper forward portions of the side walls 21 and extending transversely between the said side walls.

The caster arm 12 of the bell crank 11 is a substantially straight, elongate, normally forwardly and upwardly inclined member having a bearing opening in its upper end to receive the pivot pin 31. The lower end portion of the caster arm extends downwardly and rearwardly from the pin, between the side walls 21, and into the rear end portion of the chamber 26, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The lever arm 14 is a substantially straight, rearwardly and upwardly inclined member of limited longitudinal extent. The lower forward end of the lever arm occurs adjacent to and is integrally joined with the upper forward end of the caster arm, and has a bearing opening therein through which the pivot pin 31 projects. The bearing opening in the caster arm is in axial alignment with and is a continuation of the bearing opening in the caster arm. The upper rear end of the lever arm is provided with a laterally projecting drive pin 32, which pin is adapted to be engaged by a part or portion of the trigger, as will be hereinafter described.

The saddle 13, at the lower end of the caster arm, is a plate-like enlargement formed integrally with or on the lower end of the caster arm to occur within the chamber 26.

The saddle 13 extends laterally across the inside of the chamber 26 and is curved laterally to establish an arcuate marble engaging front surface 33. The arcuate front surface 33 of the saddle serves to engage and maintain the marble or ball B in lateral alignment with the caster arm and the central vertical plane of the catapult, but allows for free vertical shifting of the ball in the said vertical plane and relative to the saddle.

The trigger is an elongate unitary molded plastic part arranged between the side walls 21 of the body to occur rearwardly of the bell crank 11 and is pivotally supported intermediate its ends by a second pivot pin 34, which pin is related to the body in the same manner as the pin 31 previously described.

The pin 34 projects through a suitable bearing opening in the central portion of the trigger.

The trigger has a rearwardly and downwardly curved rear finger-engaging portion 36, which portion projects freely into the opening 29 in the body, where it can advantageously be engaged by a persons finger, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

The trigger 15 also has a forwardly projecting front portion which portion is provided with a forwardly opening notch 38 in which the drive pin 32 on the lever arm 14 is slidably engaged.

From the foregoing, and as illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that the upper forward end of the trigger 15 is provided with a drive pin engaging yoke.

The return spring 16 that I provide is a simple elongate leaf spring having one end suitably fixed or anchored in the upper rear portion of the body and projecting forwardly therefrom to engage the upper rear edge of the fingerengaging portion 36 of the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the said finger-engaging portion of the trigger forwardly and downwardly.

The keeper means C provided to normally yieldingly maintain the marble or ball B engaged in the chamber 26 and with the saddle 13 is shown as including an elongate leaf spring 39 having a rear end 40 sm'tably anchored at the lower rear end of the chamber 26, as illustrated in the drawings, a forwardly and upwardly inclined central portion 41 extending through the major longitudinal extent of the chamber 26, in the lower portion thereof, and a downwardly and forwardly inclined front portion 42 projecting freely into a forwardly and downwardly inclined guide opening 42 in the forward lower end of the cylindrical wall defining the chamber.

The spring 39 is of sufficient strength to elevate or lift the marble or ball B to be handled. The central, forwardly and upwardly inclined portion of the spring 39 is of suificient height that the marble or ball engaged therewith is urged upwardly into engagement with the upper portion of the chamber 26.

Due to the fact that the central portion of the spring is inclined forwardly and upwardly, the ball or marble engaged thereby is urged rearwardly in the chamber and into engagement with the saddle.

The forward end of the spring 39 terminates rearward of the forward end of the chamber and rearward of the forward end of the stroke of the caster arm. As a result of this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the spring 39 only serves to retain the ball or marble in the chamber and in engagement with the saddle when the construction is in its unactuated position, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and during actuation of the construction, and before the ball or marble leaves the chamber and disengages from the saddle, it is urged out of engagement with and is released by the spring 39.

In operation, the ball or marble B is inserted into the open end of the chamber 26 and is urged past the spring 39 into engagement with the saddle 13 on the casting arm 12 of the bell crank 11. The operator then grips the handle portion of the body in his hand and inserts .a suitable finger, such as his index finger, through the opening 29 in the body, forward of the fingerengaging portion 36 of the trigger occurring in the opening 29. The construction is then aimed, much in the same manner as a hand gun, and the operator urges the finger-engag ing portion of the trigger rearwardly and upwardly against the resistance of the spring 16. This results in downward movement of the yoke and of the lever arm related thereto, to the end that the caster arm is pivoted forwardly, urging the ball past the spring 39, out of the chamber 26, and away from the saddle 13.

It will be apparent that the operator can, by pulling the trigger gently and slowly, cause the marble to simply drop out of the chamber and from engagement with the saddle, or can pull the trigger rapidly and with consider able force, to the end that the ball is thrown or catapulted from the saddle in a forceful manner.

The return spring 16 is extremely light and exerts sufficient force only to return the light trigger and bell crank to their normal position. The spring 39 affords resistance only at the first part of the casting or catapulting stroke of the mechanism and, as a result, does not adversely affect the operators control.

By pointing or aiming the construction in the necessary manner, the ball can be catapulted across the ground or floor, or can be lofted in a desired trajectory over and above the ground or floor, as circumstances require or as desired.

In addition to the foregoing, and to facilitate use of my new catapult in combination with a suitable game board construction, I provide a suitable gimbal type mounting means, which means is shown as including a flange 45 depending from the lower side of the cylindrical wall defining the chamber 26, a clevis plate 46 having laterally spaced upwardly projecting flanges to slidably engage the opposite sides of the flange 45, a horizontally disposed pivot pin 47 engaged through the several flanges and a central vertically disposed pivot pin 48 depending from the clevis plate and adapted to be engaged in a suitable bearing opening 49 in a support member 51 related to the base of the game board to which the construction is related, as will be hereinafter described.

With the mounting means, as set forth above and illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that the catapult that I provide can be advantageously mounted in a predetermined position relative to a game board construction, and while thus mounted can be pivoted in both horizontal and vertical planes for the purpose of aiming and directing the marbles or balls.

The game board construction that I provide includes an elongated, upwardly opening, box-like base or housing having a flat, horizontally disposed, bottom wall 51, vertical front and rear end walls 52 and 53 and vertical side walls 54. In practice, the base is formed of card stock and can be established by the lower half of a conventional carboard box structure which serves to house and store the marbles, catapult, and the several boards and/or plates going to make up the game board construction, as will be hereinafter described.

Extending transversely of the base, adjacent the rear end wall thereof, is a supporting member 50 having an upwardly opening bearing opening 49 therein to cooperatively receive the pivot pin :8 of the mounting means M on the catapult. The support 50 is established from a ength of wood, rectangular in cross section, and is cemented in the base so as to suitably reinforce the base.

Extending transverse the forward end of the body, adjacent the front end wall thereof, is an elongate Wooden block 55 having a pair of laterally spaced upwardly opening board-receiving grooves, there being a front groove 56 and a rear groove 57. The grooves 56 and 57 are, in the preferred carrying out of the invention, pitched or inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 10 of the drawings.

Along the lower inside portion of each side wall of the base is an elongated batten 58 having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined top establishing an upwardly dis-posed board or plate supporting shoulder 59 to extend longitudinally of the base, between the block and the support.

A pair of flat rectangular boards, one a front board 60 and the other a rear board 61, are arranged adjacent the front end of the body and have their lower edges slidably engaged in the front and rear grooves 56 and 57 in the block 55, so that they project upwardly and rearward'ly from the base in predetermined spaced relationship.

The rear board 61 is provided with a plurality of target openings 62 arranged in any desired pattern. The target openings 62 are larger in diameter than the marbles or balls B and freely receive the balls catapulted therethrough.

The front board 66 is spaced forwardly of the rear board a distance slightly less than the diameter of the marbles or balls and so that when a marble or ball enters one of the openings 62 in the rear board 61 it is stopped by the front board 66 and remains partially engaged inthe opening 62 to be supported and retained by the edge of the rear board defining the said opening;

With the above relationship of pants, each target opening 62 can receive and retain one ball or marble B.

The front board is provided with one or more elongate vertically extending grooves 63, the upper ends of which occur immediately rearward of a target opening 62 and the lower ends of which communicate with lateral extensions 64 of the grooves, which extensions occur forward of horizontal slotted openings 65 in the rear boar-d 61.

The slots 63 land 64 are narrower than the diametric extent of the marbles so that the marbles will project a sufficient distance into the slots so that they clear the forward surface of the rear board 61 and will slide or roll downwardly in the slots 63, between the boards 60 and 61 and thence laterally into the slots 64, to occur forward of the openings 65 in the rear board, through which they can be counted and through which they can be readily extracted for subsequent use.

In addition to the foregoing, the front board 61 can be provided with a plurality of upwardly opening wire baskets 66 into which marbles or balls can be lofted by means of the catapult. The baskets 66 are formed of a single length of wire, having a lower horizontally disposed central portion 67, which portion bears against the rear surface of the rear board, rearwardly and then upwardly turned intermediate portions 68, extending in laterally spaced parallel relationship to each other and spaced from the rear surface of the board 61 a distance sufficient to freely receive and retain marbles or balls deposited therebetween, and laterally outwardly and then forwardly extending upper end portions 69 that join the rear surface of the board 61 and cooperate with the board and the intermediate portions to define an enlarged upwardly opening upper end for the basket. The upper end portions are provided with upwardly, forwardly and then upwardly turned extensions 70 which extensions project through suitable openings '71 in the board 61 to establish hooked engagement therewith and to releasably retain the baskets engaged on the board.

In practice, the central portions of the baskets can be of considerable vertical extent to cooperatively receive several balls and can, if desired, be arranged over or ad jacent the openings 62 in the board, which are related to the slots 63 and 64 and the openings 65, so that marbles lofted into the baskets, will drop through the openings 62 between the front and rear boards and thence into or adjacent the openings 65 in the rear board 61, where they can be counted and retrieved.

Arranged in the base between the block 55 at the front end of the base and the supporting member 56 at the rear end of the base, is a fiat, substantially horizontally disposed rectangular plate 70 formed of card stock and having a plurality of ball or marble receiving openings '71 therein. The openings 71 can be arranged in any desired pattern.

The plate 70 corresponds in lateral extent with the inside lateral extent of the base and in longitudinal extent wit-h the distance between the block and the support at the ends of the base.

The side edge portions of the plate 70 engage and rest on the shoulders 59 established by the stringers 58 in the base and is supported in vertically spaced relationship above the bottom wall 51 of the base a distance slightly less than the diametric extent of the marbles or balls, so that when a marble or ball is engaged in one of the openings 71 in the plate, it remains in the opening, for the purpose of counting or retrieving, and is not free to roll or otherwise shift below or beneath the plate '76.

The shoulders 59 at the sides of the base upon which the plate rests, being rearwardly and downwardly inclined, it will be apparent that the plate 76 is also inclined in the same direction and that the marbles deposited at the front end of the plate will roll down the plate and back towards the rear end thereof.

At the front end of the plate 70 adjacent the center line thereof, I provide a pair of laterally spaced upwardly projecting posts 72 having laterally extending slots therein and a substantially U-shaped leaf spring 73 having forwardly turned legs with laterally inwardly turned end portions, which end portions are engaged in the slots in the posts.

With the above set-up, it will be apparent that the person operating the catapult at the rear end of the base can catapult a marble into engagement with the spring 73, and that the spring will, due to its resiliency, urge the marble back across the plate towards the rear end of the base. By aiming the marble to strike or engage the spring 73 at a predetermined point and with the proper force, the operator can cause the marble to return towards and across the plate to drop into a desired opening therein.

In practice, the plate 70 can, as illustrated in FIG. 10 of the drawings, be inclined rearwardly and upwardly, in which case, the marbles or balls, after striking the spring 73, must roll up the plate toward the rear end thereof and will, if they do not enter an opening in the plate, roll back towards the front end thereof and stop adjacent the block and the rear board 61.

In practice, the front board so and the bottom wall 51 of the base can have numerals printed or painted thereon, which numerals can be read through the marble receiving openings in the rear board 61 and the plate 70 and which indicate the score awarded to the player that succeeds in catapulting a marble into such opening.

With the game board construction that I provide for use in connection with my new catapult, it will be apparent that the operator or player of the game can develop and practice several skills with the catapult. He can loft marbles or balls into the baskets 66 provided on the rear board 61, direct marbles through the air into the openings 62 in the board all, loft marbles into the openings 71 in the horizontal plate 70, direct marbles across the plate into the openings 71 in the plate, or direct marbles against the spring 73 from which they will rebound rearwardly across the plate to enter one of the openings 71 in the plate. Each of the above shots or operations requires the exercise of a special skill in operating the catapult and affords the player a variety of special shots to the end that the game does not rapidly become repetitious and monotonous.

When the game is not in use, the boards 6% and 61 can be removed from engagement with the block and arranged within the base in 'a horizontal plane, the several marbles employed in the game can be deposited in the base, and the catapult can be removed from engagement with the support and arranged within the base, whereupon the base can be closed by a suitable lid or cover (not shown).

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A marble catapult of the character referred to including an elongate body having a central portion, a rear hand-grip portion, and a longitudinally disposed forwardly opening, elongate, cylindrical lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted in the central portion of the body and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting into the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted in the central portion of the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion and a forwardly extending lever-armengaging portion, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to engage a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion.

2. A marble catapult of the character referred to including an elongate body having a central portion, a rear hand-grip portion, and a longitudinally disposed forwardly opening elongate cylindrical lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted in the central portion of the body and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting into the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted in the central portion of the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending fingerengaging portion and a forwardly extending lever arm engaging portion, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to en age a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion.

3. A marble catapult of the character referred to including an elongate body having a cent al portion, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally disposed, forwardly opening elongate cylindrical lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly projecting caster arm terminating in the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending, finger-engaging portion, and a forwardly extending lever arm engaging portion, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to engage a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion.

4. A marble catapult of the character referred to including an elongate body having a central portion, a rear hand-grip portion, and a longitudinally disposed forwardly opening elongate cylindrical lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly projecting caster arm terminating in the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending, finger-engaging portion and a forwardly projecting lever arm engaging portion, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to engage a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion.

5. A marble catapult of the character referred to including an elongate body having a central portion, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally disposed forwardly opening elongate, cylindrical, lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly projecting caster arm terminating in the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion and a forwardly extending le-ver arm engaging portion, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to engage a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion, and means to normally yieldingly urge a marble rearwardly into engagement with the saddle including, an elongate leaf spring having a rear end anchored to the lower rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body and projecting forwardly and upwardly therefrom.

6. A marble catapult of the character referred to including an elongate body having a central portion, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally disposed forwardly opening elongate cylindrical lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly projecting caster arm terminating in the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion and a forwardly projecting lever arm engaging portion, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to engage a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion, and means to normally yieldin ly 9 urge a marble rearwardly into engagement with the saddle including an elongate leaf spring having a rear end anchored to the lower rear end of the cylindrical portion of the body and projecting forwardly'and upwardly there-- from.

7. A marble catapult of the character referred to including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral finger-receiving opening therein, a rear handgrip portion and a longitudinally extending, elongate cylindrical lower portion defining a forwardly opening marble receiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted in the body in the central portion thereof and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting into the rear end of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted in the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion projecting into the opening in the body and a forwardly-projecting lever arm engaging portion, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the loWer end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber.

8. A marble catapult of the character referred to including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral finger-receiving opening therein, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally extending elongate cylindrical lower portion defining a forwardly opening marblereceiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted in the body in the central portion thereof and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting into the rear end of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted in the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion projecting into the opening in the body and a forwardly projecting lever arm engaging portion, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly in the opening in the body, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber.

9. A marble catapult of the character referred to including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral finger-receiving opening therein, a rear handgrip portion and a longitudinally extending elongate cylindrical lower portion defining a forwardly opening marble-receiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted in the body in the central portion thereof and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting into the rear end of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm, a trigger pivotally mounted in the body rearward of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending fingerengaging portion projecting into the opening in the body and a forwardly projecting lever arm engaging portion, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly in the opening in the body, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber, and means to normally yieldingly urge a marble positioned within the chamber rearwardly into engagement with the saddle including, an elongate leaf spring having a rear end anchored in the lower rear end of the chamber and projecting forwardly and upwardly therefrom.

10. A marble catapult of the character referred to including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral trigger and finger-receiving opening therein, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally extending elongate cylindrical lower portion defining a forwardly opening marble-receiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body in the central portion thereof and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting freely into the rear end of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm with a laterally projecting drive pin, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body rearwardly of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion projecting freely into the opening in the body and a forwardly proejcting portion with a forwardly opening yoke slidably engaging the drive pin, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber.

11. A marble catapult of the character referred to including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral trigger and finger-receiving opening therein, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally extending elongate cylindrical lower portion defining a forwardly opening marble-receiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted in said central portion and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting freely into the rear end of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm with a laterally projecting drive pin, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body rearwardly of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion projecting freely into the opening in the body and a forwardly projecting portion with a forwardly opening yoke slidably engaging the drive pin, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly in the opening, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber.

12. A marble catapult of the character referred to including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral trigger and finger-receiving opening therein, a rear hand-grip portion and a longitudinally extending elongate cylindrical lower portion defining a forwardly opening marble-receiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body in the central portion thereof and having an elongate normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting freely into the rear end of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting lever arm with a laterally projecting drive pin, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body rearwardly of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion projecting freely into the opening in the body and a forwardly projecting portion with a forwardly opening yoke slidably engaging the drive pin, a return spring carried by the body and engaging the trigger to normally yieldingly urge the trigger forwardly in the opening, and a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber, and means to normally yieldingly urge a marble arranged within the chamber rearwardly into engagement with the saddle and including, an elongate leaf spring having a rear end anchored in the lower rear end of the chamber and projecting forwardly and upwardly therefrom.

13. In combination, an elongate base having front and rear ends, front and rear upwardly disposed boards at the rear end of the base and spaced longitudinally a distance less than the diameter of a marble, said front board having a lurality of target openings larger than the diametric extent of a marble, a marble catapult including, an elongate body having a central portion, a rear hand grip portion and a longitudinally disposed forwardly opening elongate cylindrical lower portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transverse axis in the central portion of the body and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly projecting caster arm terminating posed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the lower cylindrical portion of the body and to engage a marble arranged within the said cylindrical portion of the body, and mounting means pivotally securing the catapult to the front end of the base.

14. In combination, an elongate base having front and rear ends, front and rear upwardly disposed boards at the rear end of the base and spaced longitudinally a distance less than the diametric extent of a marble, said front boar-d having a plurality of round target openings larger than the diametric extent of a marble, a slot-like score and marble retrieving opening in the front board related to and spaced below each target opening and an elongate slot in the rear board extending from adjacent each target opening to and longitudinally of the slot-like opening related thereto, said slot being less in diametric extent than a marble to receive a portion of a marble engaged through the target opening and to allow said marble to move downwardly between the boards and adjacent the said slot-like opening, a marble catapult including, an elongate body having a central portion with a lateral trigger and finger-receiving opening therein, a rear hand-grip portion and an elongate longitudinally extending lower cylindrical portion defining a forwardly opening marble-receiving chamber, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body in the central portion thereof and having an elongate, normally downwardly and rearwardly extending caster arm projecting into the rear end portion of the chamber, and a normally upwardly and rearwardly projecting arm with a laterally projecting drive pin thereon, a trigger pivotally mounted on a transversely extending pivot pin carried by the body rearwardly of the bell crank and having a downwardly extending finger-engaging portion projecting freely into the opening in the body and a forwardly projecting portion with a forwardly opening yoke slidably engaging the drive pin on the lever arm, a forwardly disposed marble-engaging saddle at the lower end of the caster arm within the chamber and to engage a marble arranged within the said chamber, spring means carried by the body to normally engage and urge the finger-engaging portion of the trigger forwardly in said opening and the caster arm rearwardly in the said chamber, resilient marble-retaining means in the chamber to normally yieldingly hold a marble arranged within the chamber in the rear portion thereof and in engagement with said saddle, and mounting means pivotally securing the catapult to the front end of the base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,118,084 5/1938 Heinzelmann 273l29 X 2,499,883 3/1950 Shields 273l29 2,545,358 3/1951 Jenkins 124-36 X 2,708,429 5/1955 Tufts 124-31 X 2,835,495 5/1958 Lohr et al 273l01 3,160,152 12/ 1964 Watkins 124 -36 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A MARBLE CATAPULT OF THE CHARACTER REFERRED TO INCLUDING AN ELONGATE BODY HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION, A REAR HAND-GRIP PORTION AND A LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED, FORWARDLY OPENING ELONGATE CYLINDRICAL LOWER PORTION, A BELL CRANK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON A TRANSVERSE AXIS IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BODY AND HAVING AN ELONGATE, NORMALLY DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY PROJECTING CASTER ARM TERMINATING IN THE REAR END OF THE CYLINDRICAL PORTION OF THE BODY, AND A NORMALLY UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY PROJECTING LEVER ARM, A TRIGGER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON A TRANSVERSE AXIS IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BODY REARWARD OF THE BELL CRANK AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING, FINGER-ENGAGING PORTION, AND A FORWARDLY EXTENDING LEVER ARM ENGAGING PORTION, AND A FORWARDLY DISPOSED MARBLE-ENGAGING SADDLE AT THE LOWER END OF THE CASTER ARM WITHIN THE LOWER CYLINDRICAL PORTION OF THE BODY AND TO ENGAGE A MARBLE ARRANGED WITHIN THE SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION. 